Are You Making Good Food Choices?

[rousselin02 6]

Let's be honest, we're all overweight for a reason. My problem is and always has been, making bad food choices. The band has not fixed the part of me that would prefer a burger and fries over lean chicken and veggies. I have been banded since Oct. 29th...I am down nearly 50lbs, but have started to gain weight in the last couple weeks. Why? I keep making crappy choices. I keep eating when I'm full, I keep snacking and eating late at night.

I haven't lost significant weiht since the first couple months of the band. It went off VERY quickly and then just stopped for the past few months. I was wondering what you guys went through as far as the mental adjustments to this thing. It's like I justify eating bad stuff because I know that I'll eventually lose it, problem is that attitude is keeping me from losing any more!!

Apologies if this is the wrong section... it is food related but also support related so I wasn't sure where to post it. Appreciate any responses

[Holly Dolly 575]

Fortunately for me my meal choices were pretty good prior to surgery. So Breakfast, lunch and dinner hasn't changed that much for me, though I have eliminated the bread that I would have had. I make dinner for my family every night and have what they have for the most part. My problem time is between 2 and 5 pm when I was at home and ate a ton of chips before dinner. But I learned my lesson after stuffing the pouch full of chips and then dinner not going down.

Snacking is a hard habit to break. Now I have either a yogurt or string cheese for a snack. I do still have the occassional chip, but usually no more than 5.

[shues138 35]

I have a hard time not snacking, so I don't keep any snack food in the house. I also plan my meals out for two weeks. For example, I'll cook something Sunday night and portion it out for X amount of meals then freeze half. It keeps my portions in check and it's easy to just grab and go to bring to work or just eat at home.

[Cazzy 725]

Sounds like u need a few things to stop self sabotaging, firstly go back to the doctor and get a fill before u pile on the lbs again, secondly get some motivation going through support/family /rewards etc and finally stop eating junk food make your own burgers either with lean beef or turkey whatever the more u eat processed food the more u will crave it, if necessary go see a counsellor/nutritionist but if u dont change what u are doing u may as well have the band removed ..

Go to bed earlier, u cant eat if u are asleep .. get some exercise in too

I am interested in why you chose a lapband if you knew u couldnt change making bad food choices .. I am not trying to be unhelpful but am hoping a bit of wrist slapping will get u to do something about this

[rockonhan 10]

I always prefer "bad food" over "good food." Are you tracking your food? I am using the Lose It app on my iphone and it's really good for me to keep track of my food choices. I don't want to see the calories going up, up, up with bad food.

Remember why you started this process. You've done a great job so far. You can refocus and recommit to a healthy lifestyle.

I find it's best for me to eat the same thing pretty much every meal every day. Same breakfast, same lunch, etc. This prevents me from having to make too many choices. I don't do well with choices, so it's best if I'm just on autopilot. Get that snack food out of the house too!

I've heard it said many times, "I need a band for my brain" and I can relate. But, you can do this, so don't give up!

[georgia girl 35]

Let's be honest, we're all overweight for a reason. My problem is and always has been, making bad food choices. The band has not fixed the part of me that would prefer a burger and fries over lean chicken and veggies. I have been banded since Oct. 29th...I am down nearly 50lbs, but have started to gain weight in the last couple weeks. Why? I keep making crappy choices. I keep eating when I'm full, I keep snacking and eating late at night.

I haven't lost significant weiht since the first couple months of the band. It went off VERY quickly and then just stopped for the past few months. I was wondering what you guys went through as far as the mental adjustments to this thing. It's like I justify eating bad stuff because I know that I'll eventually lose it, problem is that attitude is keeping me from losing any more!!

Apologies if this is the wrong section... it is food related but also support related so I wasn't sure where to post it. Appreciate any responses

I can definitely relate. My problem has always been sweets. I am not exaggerating when I say this....it's like a drug to me. I've struggled with it my whole life and I still do. I would mainly eat them late at night. One would lead to another, then another, then another....you get my drift. I had a cupcake at my son's birthday party the other night and that one little cupcake triggered my cravings. That is why I am now doing a liquid detox for a couple of days. I find it best to stay away from them altogether!

A couple of suggestions:

1. Go to bed earlier if you are a night time eater. I have found that if I go to bed when my husband does, I don't have a problem. I do, however, have trouble falling asleep so I bring my iPad to bed with me and doodle on that until I get sleepy. I find that getting away from the kitchen at night is a huge help!

2. Go get a fill if you are not tight enough. BUT, a fill will not solve your problem if you are just going to break the rules and eat around the band. All the fills in the world won't help the head hunger.

3. Try adding more lean Protein into your diet. It will keep you satisfied longer.

4. Try to find a hobby that will keep you busy so you don't have a lot of down time. I love to do crafts, so I try to work on my projects while I watch tv, so I don't give in to snacking. Eating while watching TV is one of the worst things we can do. We focus more on the tv and pay less attention to how much we eat.

5. You can still have your burger and fries. Make it yourself. Use lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey. Make baked sweet potato fries instead of driving through a fast food restaurant. There are ton's of healthy recipe substitutes out there for typical junk food.

The main thing to remember is....You can do this! Yes, there will be set backs. Pick yourself back up and keep going! It's not easy, but you can do it. None of us got fat overnight, so why would anyone think that we can undo all the damage overnight. Success is a journey, not a destination. Focus on the process! Best of luck to you!

[curlygirly999 2]

My lapband journey has been frought with issues related to food. I am still a work in progress as far as getting my mind in the right place. These are the things that help me most:

1) Create a set menu and stick to it! You can deviate a little but having my meals planned everyday and always having those foods stocked up makes it easier to follow through.

2) Track your calories, somehow someway. I use the MyFitnessPal app on my phone which makes it easy. I can even scan the barcode on food items to add a serving. This means also tracking your bad food choices, which helps you realize how much you are hurting your progress compared to when you follow your plan.

3) Get help. I am fortunate enough to have health insurance that allows for therapy and it took me a while to admit I might need it but after going (had my 10th session today) I feel much better, less negative and more hopeful about my future. I also watch a lot of youtube videos by josielenore who has struggled with her own food issues. This one in particular pretty much changed my whole perspective on this food thing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOJEkmsvz80&context=C3129502ADOEgsToPDskJyr1TLHodUAAe9k-LZfdkG

Remember to take is slow. These things will take time. You will never just wake up and have everything right in your head. It is work but it is worth it. Posting on this forum is a great sign that you want to be successful and want to reach out to others. We are here for you! :-) Hope this helps.

[Pollyanna12 74]

Thanks Curlygirly999, I agree - TRACK TRACK TRACK your food. I just could not get into it when I was trying to do pen and paper, but Myfitnesspal.com makes it easy! I start my pre-op diet tomorrow after my appointment, I was SO tempted to get costco pizza for dinner today! THen I entered it in my fitness pal, and changed my plan to a good home cooked Protein and veggie dinner!

Writing it down makes it real for me, and the few sweets I have had glare at me off the computer screen. Even though I have lost 8 pounds since Feb 1st!

[pink dahlia 2,513]

we all make poor choices sometimes, so dont beat yourself up over them. i have my sugar cravings too ! i i dont understand how you can get food down when you're full, when i do that it comes right back up ! since you dont seem to have that problem might i suggest taking baby steps and finding healthier choices for your Snacks instead of stopping them all together ?? someone suggested Protein 1st as it fills you up and takes away some of he cravings for junk. try unsweeted fruit bars , apple slices with pb, raw unsalted nuts with raisins, 1/2 a Protein Bar (choc and pb !) , frozen sf pudding taste like ice cream !, or for salty cravings try plains tortilla chips with homemade salsa (tomato, green onion, and cilantro), or even fruit salsa. thers lots of healthy choices out there, just start looking to see what you like. you can do this !!! good luck , dont go backwards, go forwards !!

[georgia girl 35]

I am interested in why you chose a lapband if you knew u couldnt change making bad food choices .. I am not trying to be unhelpful but am hoping a bit of wrist slapping will get u to do something about this

He never said he couldn't change. That's why he's here. He's looking for advice and tips from people who have struggled with the same thing. I don't think anyone chooses to have surgery knowing that they can't change. I think we all hope that we can make the necessary changes and hope that we can use the band as a tool to help us acheive our goals. I do, however, think that people sometimes don't realize how hard it's actually going to be and some lose their way. It's like I said in my earlier post, not many people can change all their bad habits overnight. It's a process. And for some, it takes a little longer to reach those goals and work through the damage that has been years in the making.

[Jachut 487]

if I could, I would live on coffee, muffins and Cookies. It is pretty much all I ever really fancy eating. With some Cereal thrown in for variety. I dont like fruit at all, never have and like it even less now I'm banded. I like my vegies and do eat those, but I dont really like salad. Cold, crunchy things do not appeal to me at all. Nor does really salty stuff very often - things like potato chips dont really interest me.

I find my days are made up of food choices that I dont really want to eat but know that I have to. I dont often eat what I really "want" to eat. I'm not fussy so much as I just like the ease, comfort and agreeable taste and texture of sweet carb foods. And they make my body feel a way that I like when I eat them - I'm definitely "addicted" in that way. But you cant live like that. I've had my problems over the last year with terribly low Iron levels and very weak bones after cancer treatment and I know that I have to eat well and get the nutrients in. So I supplement and try to make faultless food choices.

Now that I'm thin - and my doctors think I'm still TOO thin, I make it a rule that I can eat those carb foods that I like but not in the way that I naturally gravitate to - instead of meals - but in addition to them. This keeps them in good proportion, I can afford the treat but I"m not replacing nutrition with empty calories.

So yes, I do make good food choices and I exercise diligently. Getting life threateningly sick with a disease that is influenced strongly by diet and exercise tends to make that a fairly easy choice to make.

[Kiskis 56]

Lucky I am so tight I can't eat bread, fries or too many chips. I can eat choclate and do for a treat but I never eat anything over 200 cals. Snacks are usually 80 cals. I have found new loves and cravings. I am far perfect but want to reach goal. I am self pay so I have to protect my investment. I track my calories when I reach a plateau. I also exercise 4-5 days/wk. Also I regularly go back to the basics and read the material from the clinic about food choices, menus & suggestions. I lost most of my weight eating 1400-1600 cals. now I am 1000-1200 cals because I have plateaued. Good luck! Tomorrow is a new day!